Karma Chameleon

Karma is a fickle friend...

During the New York Yankees game which featured Derek Jeter's 3000th Career hit, a young man caught the historic ball, and quickly and without hesitation told the usher..."Give it to Derek, it's his ball...I don't want anything for it."

The NY Yankees organization quickly gave him the keys to the Stadium in appreciation of his selfless act of honor.  He got free tickets, premium seats, backstage passes, an on-air interview in the YES Network booth...etc, etc, etc.

But, just as good deeds will result in good karma, bad deeds and injustices will result in bad karma.

Brazil found this out first hand in the 2011 Women's World Cup Quarterfinal game against the USA.

The US endured bad officiating, bad luck, and bad acting from the Brazilians and persevered in a game so full of drama that even TNT said..."Now that's what we're talking about!"

Having to play the final 55 minutes with a player disadvantage, due to the aforementioned bad officiating, with the score tied 1-1 - due to more bad officiating where a Hope Solo penalty kick save was forced to be re-taken - they forced the Brazilians into a 30 minute Overtime period.  Then when another example of bad officiating - missing a clear offsides by the Brazilians - lead to a miraculous goal by Brazil's Marta - better known as the Female version of Lionel Messi - and a Brazil lead 2-1 in overtime, it would have been understandable for the US Lady's to hang their heads.

But, through it all, the true characters of the two teams shown through...The US kept pushing, and fighting, and scratching, and clawing despite playing with only 10 players to Brazil's 11...while the Brazilians attempted to use ever trick to wind down the clock.

At one point, a Brazilian defender - Erika - went down with no one within 5 yards of her, and began acting as if a sharpshooter had taken her out.  After several minutes of rolling around on the ground, the stretcher was brought out, she was loaded onto it, and was carried away.  She had been carried barely 10 feet when she unstrapped herself, jumped off the stretcher, and began to sprint to the center circle ready to re-enter the game.  The act was such a cheap blatant display of timewasting that even THIS referee saw fit to grant her a yellow card for her troubles.

But, as was said before karma is a fickle friend, and it also seems to come with a sense of irony.  As the game wore on with the US trailing 2-1, and the clock crept ever closer to 120 minutes, the US's hopes seemed to fade, despite the constant pressure on the Brazilian goal.  But, as a result of the atrocious acting by Erika, the ref extended the game for an additional 3 minutes.

And, then in the 122nd minute, Midfielder Megan Rapinoe raced down the left wing, and unleashed a long, curving, hopeful ball to the far post...rocketing past 2 defenders, and the goalkeeper, and colliding with Abby Wambach's head, slamming into the back of the net.  The game was tied 2-2! As the stadium erupted, the US Players celebrated, while the disheartened Brazilian's looked on.

The game comes down to a penalty-kick shootout.

The first penalty kick taker for the US walked up to the spot - Shannon Boxx. She shot high and to the right, but was stopped by the Brazilian goalkepper.  But, it was then that karma spoke up, and said...hold on a minute, Hope Solo's save was called back because of a borderline encroachment call, then this will definitely have to be re-taken.  The goalkeeper clearly took 2 steps off her line before the kick.  A goalkeeper is allowed to move laterally along the goal-line, but not forward.  So, Shannon Boxx re-took her kick, and again shot to the right side...this time with more height and power, and buried it in the back of the net.

Each shooter buried the subsequent shots until the 3th round...After Abby Wambach converted her chance to give the US a 3-2 edge, Brazil defender, Daiane, stepped up to the spot, and shot to the left.  Hope Solo dove fully-extended to her right, and parried the shot away. A World-class save!

And when the 5th US shooter, Alex Krieger, converted her shot, the US celebrated the most remarkable comeback in Women's World Cup History.

Adversity and injustice had been overcome by true grit and undying determination.  Now the US face France in the Semifinals. WHEW!

Me explaining it does not do the events justice...so, watch the video below.

WWC USA v Brazil July 10, 2011

GO USA!!!

Peace
G

Movies to Watch in 2011 and 2012

January

7 – Season of the Witch

Starring
Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman

Nicolas Cage stars as a 14th century Crusader who returns with his comrade to a homeland devastated by the Black Plague. A beleaguered church, deeming sorcery the culprit of the plague, commands the two knights to transport an accused witch to a remote abbey, where monks will perform a ritual in hopes of ending the pestilence.

11 – The Green Hornet

Starring
Seth Rogen as The Green Hornet
Jay Chou as Kato

Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of LA's most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene until his father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father's more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou), they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime.

Driven by the murder of a close friend and the realization that his media empire is infested with ruthless heroin smugglers, Britt Reid, aka the Green Hornet and his human weapon Kato jump into action on a heart-pounding quest to rid the city of this mob once and for all.

28 – The Mechanic

Starring
Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland

Jason Statham stars in this remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson Classic.

Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) is a 'mechanic' - an elite assassin with a strict code and unique talent for cleanly eliminating targets. It's a job that requires professional perfection and total detachment, and Bishop is the best in the business. But when his mentor and close friend Harry (Donald Sutherland) is murdered, Bishop is anything but detached. His next assignment is self-imposed - he wants those responsible dead. His mission grows complicated when Harry's son Steve (Ben Foster) approaches him with the same vengeful goal and a determination to learn Bishop's trade. Bishop has always acted alone but he can't turn his back on Harry's son. A methodical hit man takes an impulsive student deep into his world and a deadly partnership is born. But while in pursuit of their ultimate mark, deceptions threaten to surface and those hired to fix problems become problems themselves.

February

11 – The Eagle

Starring
Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland

In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila (Tatum) arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca (Bell), Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.

18 – Unknown

Starring
Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger

A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is.

18 – I Am Number Four

Starring
Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant

Three are dead. He is Number Four. D.J. Caruso ("Eagle Eye," "Disturbia") helms an action-packed thriller about an extraordinary young man, John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events-his first love (Dianna Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny. John (Alex Pettyfer) is an extraordinary young man, masking his true identity and passing as a typical student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed...he is Number Four.

March

11 – Red Riding Hood

Starring
Amanda Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Gary Oldman, Lukas Haas

Directed by Catherine Hardwick (Twilight)

TWILIGHT's Catherine Hardwick makes her way from vamps to werewolves for this re-envisioning of the red riding hood fairy tale.

Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon...

April

1 – Super

Starring
Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler

After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.

1 – Source Code

Starring
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan

Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes with a jolt to find himself on a commuter train heading into Chicago. Although the other passengers all seem to know him, he has absolutely no idea where or even who he is. The last thing Colter remembers is flying a helicopter mission in Iraq, but here he is in someone else's life going through someone else's morning commute. Before he can do anything an express train zooms by on the opposite track and a bomb explodes, seemingly killing Colter and all the other passengers.

An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

8 – Your Highness

Starring
Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, Danny McBride

Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world-Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent’s fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed. Thadeous (Danny McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he's settled for a life of wizard's weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux), the king gives his deadbeat son an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off…Joined by Isabel (Natalie Portman)-an elusive warrior with a dangerous agenda of her own-the brothers must vanquish horrific creatures and traitorous knights before they can reach Belladonna.

8 – Hanna

Starring
Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana

Hanna (Ronan) is a teenage girl. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a soldier; these come from being raised by her father (Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland. Living a life unlike any other teenager, her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Ms. Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.

11 – Legend of the Fist : The Return of Chen Zhen

Starring
Donnie Yen, Qi Shu

Donnie Yen portrays Chen Zhen in this sequel to the Bruce Lee classic Fist of Fury (1972).  Trivia: Jet Li played Chen Zhen in the Loose remake of the Bruce Lee classic, Fist of Legend (1994).

Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen, who was shot after discovering who was responsible for his teacher's death (Huo Yuanjia) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. A mysterious stranger arrives from overseas and befriends a local mafia boss. That man is a disguised Chen Zhen, who intends to infiltrate the mob when they form an alliance with the Japanese. Disguising himself as a caped fighter by night, Chen intends to take out everyone involved as well as get his hands on an assassination list prepared by the Japanese.

29 – Fast Five

Starring
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Former cop Brian O'Conner partners with ex-con Dom Toretto on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto broke Dom out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first.

May

4 – Thor

Starring
Chris Hemsworth as The Mighty Thor

Co-Starring
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
Anthony Hopkins as Odin
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Produced by Marvel Studios

Marvel Studios expands its film universe with a new type of superhero: THOR. This epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth. Kenneth Branagh directs this fantasy epic which stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth as the ancient Norse god, Tom Hiddleston as his evil brother Loki, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, a young woman who befriends Thor on Earth, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Thor's father and king of Asgard. Expect to see agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., previously seen in ''Iron Man,'' to make an appearance, further foreshadowing the coming of The Avengers!

20 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Starring
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penélope Cruz

Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

June

3 – X-Men : First Class

Starring
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon

Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN.

10 – Super 8

From Writer, Director, Producer J.J. Abrams (Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, Cloverfield) and Executive Producer, Stephen Spielberg, comes this Sci-Fi Adventure.  Not many details are known yet. The Movie Tagline reads “Next Summer, It Arrives.”

Teaser Trailer

17 – Green Lantern

Starring
Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern

Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, GoldenEye)

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for millenniums. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors formed by the different races from entire universe sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected for the Corps: Hal Jordan.

24 – Rise of the Apes

Starring
James Franco, Andy Serkis

An origin story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.

July

1 – Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Starring
Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel
Hugo Weaving as the Voice of Optimus Prime

Directed by Michael Bay

Executive Producer Stephen Spielberg

The Autobots Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide and Sideswipe led by Optimus Prime, are back in action, taking on the evil Decepticons, who are determined to avenge their defeat in 2009s Transformers Revenge of the Fallen. In this new movie, the Autobots and Decepticons become involved in a perilous space race between the U.S. and Russia, and once again human Sam Witwicky has to come to the aid of his robot friends. There's new characters too, including a new villain in the form of Shockwave, a longtime "Transformers" character who rules Cybertron while the Autobots and Decepticons battle it out on Earth. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is expected to hit theaters July 1st, 2011 in Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.

15 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Starring
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

22 – Captain America: The First Avenger

Starring
Chris Evans as Captain America
Hugo Weaving as The Red Skull
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Directed by Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park III)

Produced by Marvel Studios

Based on the Marvel Comics character from World War II. A brave, yet mild-mannered young soldier named Steve Rogers, volunteers to undergo a series of experiments for a US army Super Soldier program. The military succeeds in transforming him into a human weapon, but quickly decide that their Super Soldier is far too expensive a creation to risk in combat. So, they decide to put him to use as an army celebrity and parade him across Europe to boost morale by performing in USO shows for American troops. He is even given a costume that bear the colors of Old Glory for the stage. Then, when a Nazi plot reveals itself Rogers must rise up and and become the First Avenger, in order to save his country. Steve Rogers becomes Captain America and he earns his way into the hearts and souls of every American, bringing hope and justice to a war-weary nation. Later, during a mission to Germany to stop his archenemy - The Red Skull, from launching rockets at the allies, Captain America sacrifices himself and winds up frozen in ice for almost six decades! Revived, Steve Rogers now must join forces with new heroes and become an Avenger of the modern age.

29 – Cowboys & Aliens

Starring
Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde

Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Elf)

Produced by Ron Howard and Stephen Spielberg

The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been...

September

30 – Now

Starring
Olivia Wilde, Johnny Galecki, Cillian Murphy

Welcome to a world where time has become the ultimate currency. You stop aging at 25, but there's a catch: you're genetically-engineered to live only one more year, unless you can buy your way out of it. The rich "earn" decades at a time (remaining at age 25), becoming essentially immortal, while the rest beg, borrow or steal enough hours to make it through the day. When a man from the wrong side of the tracks is falsely accused of murder, he is forced to go on the run with a beautiful hostage. Living minute to minute, the duo's love becomes a powerful tool in their war against the system.

October

14 – The Three Musketeers

Starring
Milla Jovovich as M’lady De Winter,
Orlando Bloom as Duke of Buckingham
Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson) as D’Artagnan

Directed by Paul W. S. Wilson (Resident Evil, Death Race)

The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

December

16 – Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Starring
Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg

Written and Produced by J.J. Abrams

Directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles)

Tom Cruise returns as IMF Agent, Ethan Hunt, and J.J. Abrams returns to write and produce this sequel to his successful Mission: Impossible III.  He hands the director’s reigns to Brad Bird who directed The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Iron Giant.

16 – Sherlock Holmes 2

Starring
Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes
Jude Law as Dr. John Watson
Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler
Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty

Directed by Guy Ritchie

Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.

2012

May 4 – The Avengers

Directed by Joss Whedon (Serenity)

Produced by Marvel Studios

Starring:

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (Director of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Clark Gregg as S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Coulson
Chris Hemsworth as The Mighty Thor
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
Chris Evans as Captain America
Don Cheadle as War Machine
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner (The Incredible Hulk)
Lou Ferrigno as the voice of The Incredible Hulk

Joss Whedon, the creator of such TV Series as Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Dollhouse, as well as Firefly and it’s big screen sequel, Serenity, is tasked with bringing the greatest collection of superheroes ever to assemble as a team together on the big screen.  Marvel Studio’s monumental venture to unite the Marvel Universe of Movie characters in one blockbuster adventure will be realized the spring of 2012.  When Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. announced the Avenger Initiative by approaching Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie, that was just the beginning.  Fury and his faithful Agent Coulson went about assembling the team methodically.  Bringing together Iron Man, Black Widow, War Machine, The Mighty Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, and The Incredible Hulk to face a threat so great that no one lone hero could defeat. They will have to unite as…The Avengers!

July 20 – The Dark Knight Rises

Starring
Christian Bale as Batman
Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon
Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox
Michael Caine as Alfred
Tom Hardy as Bane
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Story by David S. Goyer

Christopher Nolan completes his Dark Knight trilogy starring Christian Bale as the Dark Knight himself.  David S. Goyer, the story writer for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, returns to pen the story for The Dark Knight Rises. 

OFFICIAL CASTING UPDATE: Tom Hardy will be cast as Bane, and Anne Hathaway will be cast as Catwoman (Selina Kyle).

____________________________________________________

I’ll be seeing you at the movies.

Peace
G

Special Thanks to IMDB and Flixster

52 Minutes of Greatness : 68 Minutes of Failure

This year, two 10-6 teams will be sitting at home watching the playoffs.  The Tampa Bay Bucs finished 10-6, and the Giants, despite the late season collapse, still finished 10-6, but by virtue of the tie-breaker, Green Bay will be the last seed in the NFC at 10-6, and the Eagles win the NFC East with a 10-6 record by virtue of the tie-breaker. 

Two week ago, the Giants were 8 Minutes from clinching the NFC East leading the Philadelphia Eagles 31-10.  For 52 Minutes, the Giants defense made the Eagles Offense, and Michael Vick, look average.  Eli Manning powered the Giants’ Offense to a 21 point lead.  All the Giants had to do was take time off the clock, and keep Mike Vick off the field.  They would have been 10-6 (at that time), and the Eastern Division would have been theirs.

But instead, the defense let Mike Vick run rampant, and score 3 quick touchdowns, and tie the game 31-31.  And, with mere seconds on the clock, the Giants punter kicked off to the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson, and as if in slow-motion watched him squirt, slide, and highstep into the endzone with 0:00 on the clock.

The Eagles won the game with no time on the clock, 38-31, and clinched the NFC East.

The following week all the Giants needed to do was beat the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, and they would clinch a playoff spot…Period!  But, for the 60 minutes of the game, the Giants looked like a punch-drunk team still feeling the effects of the Eagles shocking victory at the New Meadowlands Stadium. They got totally demolished 45-17 by the Packers.

So, 68 minutes earlier they were ready to clinch the Division, but the last week of the season they needed to beat the Washington Redskins to finish 10-6, and they needed the Packers to lose to the Bears (who had already clinched their Division).  The Giants took care of their business, and beat a very pitiful Redskins team, 17-14.  But, by virtue of the Packers 10-3 win over the Bears, the Giants will be saying…Woulda, shoulda, coulda!

That being said, the Giants have a very good team, and finishing 10-6 is testament to that.  But, I said earlier this season that the weakness of the Giants is the Special teams, and as it turned out, the Special Teams was the decisive factor in the season…But, we still finished 10-6.  That’s the bottom line…the Giants are a 10-6 team! 

So, no Tom Coughlin should not be fired for putting a 10-6 team together, but he needs to address the special teams situation for next season.  We are close to another championship…Let’s do this already! No more bullshit.

UPDATE: Giants owner announces that Tom Coughlin has been told his job is his if he still wants it.

Thanks Giants for a great effort, and an above average season…Good luck next year.

For the teams remaining, Kick-ass Peyton, and let’s go Ravens D!

See you next season

Peace
G

Rare Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse

A sight not seen in 372 years, the Total Lunar Eclipse on this winter solstice will shine its coppery red hue down upon us. It will be the first time that a total lunar eclipse coincides with the winter solstice since 1638 (UPDATED : Credit: Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory). 

On early morning this Tuesday the 21st of December, The eclipse will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere.  Starting at 1:33AM EST, the moon will be partially eclipsed.  The moon will reach totality at 2:41AM EST, and it will last a generous 72 minutes.  It will return to partiality at 3:53AM EST, and will end at 5:01AM EST.

The best time to view the coppery red hue of the totality will be during its mid-point at 3:17AM EST. 

The coppery red hue is a result of the many sunrises and sunsets ringing the Earth at the time of the eclipse. The Earth’s atmosphere scatters and bends the sunlight giving it a penny-like coppery red color.

Here’s hoping the weather in the US will allow optimal viewing of this rare event.

To study a star, is to study the past.

Peace
G

UPDATE: Science@NASA has updated their Coincidence Information (The last Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse was in 1638).

@Thanks to Sky & Telescope and Science@NASA

Totally Biased AP Climate Propaganda

The complete lack of respect for Science in the face of clearly biased, religiously fueled, agenda driven drivel is embarrassing.

In short, not every Natural disaster is the result of “global warming”, “climate change”, or whatever the phrase du jour is now.

Check out the report posted on Watts Up With That?.

Associated Press gone wild: 2010 disaster article is unadulterated trash

WUWT - Posted on December 19, 2010 by Ryan Maue

2010′s world gone wild: Quakes, floods, blizzards: The Associated Press has published one of the most biased pieces of environmental science journalism in a long time,  and that’s quite a feat in itself. Indeed, there are some serious journalistic integrity issues with this clearly biased piece: the authors intersperse anecdotes with specific scientists’ quotations while playing fast and loose with the facts in order to push an agenda.  Undoubtedly, there is a considerable amount of scientific ignorance on the part of the authors, but using the human suffering associated with 2010′s natural disasters as talking points in this narrative is a new low for the Associated Press.

This article by Seth Borenstein and Julie Reed Bell deserves a thorough fact-checking and deconstruction. Keep your vomit bags and pitchforks at the ready, and hold onto your seats on this Pulitzer-prize winning fictional roller coaster…

This is an absolute masterpiece: quotations are in the boxes, comments are mine.

This was the year that the Earth struck back.   Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, blizzards, landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter million people in 2010 – the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined.

What purpose does this statement serve? Is there a moral equivalence between suicide bombers and the heartbreaking suffering associated with Haiti’s earthquake, the resulting mysteriously-caused cholera epidemic, or the devastation associated with the Pakistani floods? Apparently there is, as the authors make that case that it is either human-caused or exacerbated.

And we have ourselves to blame most of the time, scientists and disaster experts say.

That didn’t take long.

Even though many catastrophes have the ring of random chance, the hand of man made this a particularly deadly, costly, extreme and weird year for everything from wild weather to earthquakes.

There is no doubt that the impoverished around the world suffer disproportionately from natural disasters: their ability to mitigate is very limited with poorly constructed buildings and standards of living that could further unravel by nature’s tragic pulling on the threads of survival. Earthquakes occur without regard to the dwellers above the ground. Tropical cyclones occur without regard to the topography in their path. Weather and seismic activity cannot be controlled; it can only be adapted to with the best possible disaster prevention. This fact is not ground breaking or in any way controversial, yet it is seemingly brought up, acknowledged, and summarily dismissed while Borenstein and Bell get to work on blaming humanity for the ills of the Earth.

Climate scientists say Earth’s climate also is changing thanks to man-made global warming, bringing extreme weather, such as heat waves and flooding.

Some climate scientists perhaps, but there is current NO peer reviewed literature that DIRECTLY connects the floods in Pakistan or the heat wave in Russia definitively to anthropogenic global warming. Indeed, there are scant scientifically diligent explanations available for the weather/climate events of 2010, but here’s one from the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Climate Attribution or CSI outfit on the Russian heat wave. Note, this is also a draft document, and not peer reviewed (yet), but with the extent of the data analysis from inside, it has a helluva lot more weight than the word of scientists who have not demonstrated or presented similar data analysis on the Russian heat waves or the floods. Instead, as Borenstein and Bell helpfully intersperse in the article, scientists are giving expert testimony on the events without tangible evidence, but perhaps intuition, feelings, or political motivations, which are superfluous anyways to the situation at hand.

Here is NOAA’s explanation by Dr. Martin Hoerling, which has received almost no media mention anywhere, and definitely not a press-release from NOAA.

Despite this strong evidence for a warming planet, greenhouse gas forcing fails to explain the 2010 heat wave over western Russia. The natural process of atmospheric blocking, and the climate impacts induced by such blocking, are the principal cause for this heat wave. It is not known whether, or to what extent, greenhouse gas emissions may affect the frequency or intensity of blocking during summer.

AP continues:

In the summer, one weather system caused oppressive heat in Russia, while farther south it caused flooding in Pakistan that inundated 62,000 square miles, about the size of Wisconsin. That single heat-and-storm system killed almost 17,000 people, more people than all the worldwide airplane crashes in the past 15 years combined.

What in tarnation does the number of casualties associated with plane crashes have to do with anything? Simply making an academic comparison here for the readers? WUWT!

Expert Quote #1

“It’s a form of suicide, isn’t it?” Professor Roger Bilham, geological sciences University of Colorado.

Anecdote #1

“I think it is the end of the world,” she said. “Our planet warns us against what would happen if we don’t care about nature.” Mask wearing Vera Savinova, a 52-year-old administrator in a dental clinic who in August took refuge from Moscow’s record heat, smog and wildfires.

Expert Quote #2

“These (weather) events would not have happened without global warming,” said Kevin Trenberth, chief of climate analysis for the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.

Where’s that missing heat? It’s a travesty…

How Extreme?

The article lists a series of weather events which seemingly are examples of events contemporaneously associated with the “season”, aka winter or summer aka cold/snowy, hot/dry, and some comments in parentheses.  Here’s the rundown of extreme events: blizzards over the eastern-US, Russia, and China ( always happened, still happening, and will happen again & again ) | record heat in Los Angeles on one day (Urban Heat Island effects?) | freezes in Florida (yup, happened in January 2010 and December 2010) | tropical floods in tropical Australia, and desert droughts in desert Australia | Amazon drought (though flooding in nearby Venezuela must have been missed).

Anecdote #2 (How costly?)

Ghulam Ali’s three-bedroom, one-story house in northwestern Pakistan collapsed during the floods. To rebuild, he had to borrow 50,000 rupees ($583) from friends and family.

An attempt at scientific knowledge:

Even the extremes were extreme. This year started with a good sized El Nino weather oscillation that causes all sorts of extremes worldwide. Then later in the year, the world got the mirror image weather system with a strong La Nina, which causes a different set of extremes. Having a year with both a strong El Nino and La Nina is unusual.

Almost, but not quite. Okay, it’s just untrue. La Nina is NOT the mirror image weather system of El Nino. El Nino is one mode of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which is a 2-7 year period coupled atmosphere-ocean phenomena — it modulates the world’s weather — it is NOT weather. It is the number one mode of variability in the tropics. Someone please get these folks at the AP Wikipedia or Google or perhaps one of the experts can help them understand this. It’s like the fact checking / preparation that Larry King is known for! Here, Jerry Seinfeld talks to King who seriously thought Seinfeld’s show was canceled.  Anyways, look at the graphic from that pesky government-run NOAA website again:  when the red switches to blue, that’s when El Nino goes to La Nina, happens a lot — and if we had more than a hundred years of data, we’d see it goes back and forth, without any concern for the “human hand”.

MEI (ENSO index): El Nino red, La Nina blue

Another attempt at scientific knowledge:

The excessive amount of extreme weather that dominated 2010 is a classic sign of man-made global warming that climate scientists have long warned about. They calculate that the killer Russian heat wave – setting a national record of 111 degrees – would happen once every 100,000 years without global warming.

This one is a a steaming-pile of you know what. Borenstein and Bell really screw the pooch in the facts department on this one: the climate scientists he is referring to is ONE blogger at Jeff Master’s Weather Underground (no, not Bill Ayers’), Rob Carver. You’ll see from my comment #13 (RyanFSU), which is not responded to, that his interpretation of the “normalized anomaly” is woefully inadequate and should be removed as it is, uh, statistical rubbish. But, Carver is cited as “climate scientists” — the AP and the drive-by media is known for these mystery quotations of plural groups: “some people say“.

Expert Quote #3

“The extremes are changed in an extreme fashion,” said Greg Holland, director of the Earth System Laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Please, someone publish a peer-reviewed transliteration of that statement, using the evidence contained in this article.

Expert Quote #4

“The science is clear that we can expect more and more of these kinds of damaging events unless and until society’s emissions of heat-trapping gases and particles are sharply reduced.” Ecoscience author, and Science Czar John Holdren.

And, almost at the end, the AP writers manage to throw in the BP oil spill, and declare the Chilean mining crew’s 69-day ordeal as the “feel good story of the year.” WUWT!

Here’s a clue AP: if you really want to understand the world’s weather and climate, don’t look to global warming. It is an absolute pittance compared to the global reorganization of the world’s weather due to El Nino, and it will be for the foreseeable future. So, if you want the easiest, best, and most correct expert explanation for what happened in 2010 here it is:

The transition from a strong El Nino to a strong La Nina (ENSO), hardly unprecedented, dramatically changes the tropical Pacific ocean temperatures. The atmosphere and ocean, acting together in a coupled fashion, teleconnect these tropical changes to the rest of the globe — both hemispheres. Storm tracks including tropical and extratropical cyclones, large-scale weather regimes such as blocks and Rossby-wave breaking cut-off lows, and shorter-time scale oscillations such as the PNA, NAO, and AO are all NON-LINEARLY associated with ENSO.

Academically, we have only begun to scratch the surface in understanding atmospheric/climate variability — and no matter what the experts on 2010 quoted in this article purport to understand about this year’s weather, it is only hand-wavy testimony that is actually at odds with some researchers at their own government labs!

The Associated Press and agenda-driven journalists without much evidence of scientific knowledge (especially in terms of climate variability) do the entire planet a disservice by conflating anecdotes, expert testimony, political appointees’ nonsense, and real-world suffering by those afflicted by natural disasters into a self-serving, blame humanity, anti-progress screed.

From Watts Up With That?

So-called Journalists need to check their agendas at the door.

Don’t buy the hype, Think for yourself!”

Peace
G

G’s List of the Top 10 Movies of 2010

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Everybody loves end-of-year lists…so not to be left out, I’ve compiled the list of my Top 10 Movies of 2010.

NOTE: The list can only include movies which were released in 2010, and that I have seen (in any format). Many movies will be left off the list, but If I didn’t take the time to go see it in theaters, then it probably wouldn’t be on this list anyway.  Also, Tron : Legacy was left off the list because it hasn’t come out yet, so I haven’t seen it.

So, without further ado…The Top 10 Best Movies of 2010…

 

 

 

 

10. SALT – PG-13, 1:31   (My Rating: 3 ½ Stars)

 

Starring Angelina Jolie as a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?"-- (C) Sony

 

 

 

 

9. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – PG, 1:51   (My Rating: 3 ½ Stars)

 

Walt Disney Studios, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub, the creators of the "National Treasure" franchise, present THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE -- an innovative and epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice who are swept into the center of an ancient conflict between good and evil.

Balthazar Blake (NICOLAS CAGE) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (ALFRED MOLINA). Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (JAY BARUCHEL), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE.

 

 

 

 

8. Alice in Wonderland – PG, 1:49   (My Rating: 3 ½ Stars)

 

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.

I watched it in Digital 3D and it looked Amazing. Johnny Depp was his usually good self as the Mad Hatter, and Helena Bonham Carter stole the show as the Red Queen. Another Tim Burton instant classic.

 

 

 

 

7. Robin Hood – PG-13, 2:28   (My Rating: 3 ½ Stars)

 

Academy Award winner Russell Crowe and visionary Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite for the untold story of the man behind the legend. In an age of oppression and shameless tyranny, an outlaw becomes the unlikely hero that saves a nation and inspires generations to fight for freedom. In this thrilling action adventure, "Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are at their most entertaining since Gladiator" (Dan Jolin, Empire UK). Also starring Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett.

 

 

 

 

6. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – PG, 1:52   (My Rating: 4 Stars)

Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarf camps, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

A Fun Fantasy Adventure Movie, and an excellent adaptation of the CS Lewis Classic...More people need to go watch this movie!

 

 

 

 

5. KICK-ASS – R, 1:53   (My Rating: 4 Stars)

"How come nobody's ever tried to be a superhero?" When Dave Lizewski - ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek - becomes the no nonsense vigilante Kick-Ass, he soon finds an answer to his own question: because it hurts. Overcoming all odds, though, Kick-Ass quickly becomes a phenomenon - only to be reminded that he's not the only superhero out there. As Kick-Ass gets drawn into this no-holds-barred world, the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil.

Kick-Ass quite simply "KICKED ASS!"

 

 

 

 

4. Shutter Island – R, 2:17   (My Rating: 4 Stars)

From Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese, "Shutter Island" is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island's fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.

Very suspenseful psychological thriller...Leo does a great job. Loved the ending.

 

 

 

 

3. Iron Man 2 – PG-13, 2:04  (My Rating: 4 Stars)

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances -- and confront powerful enemies.

Mickey Rourke is exceptional as Tony Stark’s (Iron Man’s) nemesis, Whiplash.

 

 

 

 

2. Inception – PG-13, 2:28   (My Rating: 4 ½ Stars)

In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a single idea within one's mind can be the most dangerous weapon or the most valuable asset.

Mind-bendingly ingenious thriller which will keep you on the edge until the very end, and will leave your head spinning afterwards.

I saw it only once despite many assertions that this movie needs to be seen about 3 times before understanding it. 

Having had experience in Computer Programming, and having been caught in many Nested Loops before, I was able to keep track…But, I had to pay VERY close attention… :-)

 

 

 

 

 

And, The Number One Movie of 2010 was actually quite easy to select, having been the only movie I’ve ever given a perfect score of 5 Stars to…

This movie is part of the most successful series in movie history, but stands brilliantly on its own merits.  It ends in a cliffhanger which leaves the viewer salivating for the blockbuster conclusion.  This movie (as the whole series) has been lovingly handled with the utmost craft and determination while at the same time serving as a Who’s Who of the biggest actors in all of Britain. And, at the same time, introduced us to the next generation of great British actors…

The movie for which I speak, if you haven’t guessed by now…My #1 Absolute Best Movie of 2010…is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – PG-13, 2:30   (My Rating: 5 Stars)

In this seventh and final installment of the beloved Harry Potter series, Harry faces new troubles; he must collect all of the Horcruxes that the evil Lord Voldemort has left behind. He has no idea where these are and he has to destroy them all, even without the faintest idea how to do so.

The Best of the Harry Potter Series brought to the screen...Simply Brilliant...PERIOD!

 
Do you agree with the list?  What’s your favorite?

Peace
G

@Special Thanks to IMDB and Flixster

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I : A Review

 

“Dobby did not mean to kill…only maim or seriously injure”

Ten years ago, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduced the world to Harry Potter, the little wizard known as “The Boy Who Lived”. We all watched the events and scenes unfold in the same complete awe and wonder that Harry felt himself. The first time he walked into Diagon Ally, we amazed at its wonder as he did.  When he first gazed at the majestic splendor of Hogwarts, we experienced it right along with him.

In 2010, the world was finally introduced to “The Chosen One” away from the safe confines of Hogwarts, and without the protection of his mentor, Professor Dumbledore.  We finally get to see our heroes - Ronald Bilius Weasley, Hermione Jean Granger, and Harry James Potter -  thrown into the world alone and on-the-run. 

“These are troubling times indeed, there is no denying it.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I is decidedly the best movie in the series.  It opens with a touching scene where we see a teary-eyed Hermione remove every evidence of her existence from her parents memories for their own protection.  It is the first true indication of how alone these characters really are in this quest to destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes and defeat the forces of evil that seek to kill them. 

During the course of the movie, Harry starts to realize just how little he truly knows about Dumbledore. The Trio soon come to realize how ill prepared they truly are for their quest, not knowing where to find the Horcruxes, and then not knowing how to destroy them once they do have them.  It is this that tests the Trio’s dedication, resolve, and friendship, and threatens to break their seemingly unbreakable bond…all while having to stay one step ahead of the Death-Eaters who seek to capture them, and bring them before the Dark Lord.

In the end, this movie – Part I of II – is more about fortifying their resolve and solidifying their friendship, than it is about the search for Horcruxes.  Because, when the final battle between good and evil is fought, it is their friendship, love, and trust in each other, which will truly be needed to defeat the evil forces which seek to rule the world, both magical and muggle.

Based on the best book in the series, it so far lives up to expectations...being clearly the best Movie of the Series to date...

The final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort is fast approaching…Hold on to your seats folks, the ending is going to be spectacular!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II
hits theaters on July 15, 2011.